The present embodiments relate generally to a system, apparatus, and method for closing a wound site and, more particularly, for closing a percutaneous wound using electrosurgical techniques.
Minimally invasive surgery is commonly used for reducing the level of trauma a patient undergoes during a surgical procedure. Generally, minimally invasive surgical techniques involve creating one or more incisions in a patient's skin, where a surgical instrument can then be inserted through the incisions for delivery toward a target site within the body.
Minimally invasive surgery can be used to perform various procedures. One type of procedure is known as peripheral intervention, which generally involves puncturing the patient's skin near a peripheral blood vessel such as, for example, the femoral artery, where a catheter or other elongate medical device can be introduced into the blood vessel and delivered to the target site. At the conclusion of the procedure, the elongate medical device and other instruments can be removed, leaving behind an open percutaneous wound at the surface of the blood vessel. The percutaneous wound size for peripheral access is generally 10 French or lower. Wounds of this size are commonly closed using a staple or suture or other permanent implantation, or by using direct pressure to provide hemostasis. However, these methods leave behind medical structure to keep the wound closed or, in the case of direct pressure, require sustained pressure on the wound. The direct pressure process can also be ineffective for larger sized wound openings.
Another type of wound closure method involves the use of electrocautery. Electrocautery procedures include passing an electric current through the patient's tissue at the location of the wound, resulting in a cauterization and hemostasis. These electrocautery procedures are generally ineffective on larger wound openings.
Minimally invasive procedures can also be used for endovascular aneurysmal and abdominal arterial repairs. These procedures also result in a wound opening after the procedure is concluded. However, the wound size is substantially larger, such as between 12-20 French. The direct pressure method is generally ineffective for wounds of this size, as is electrocautery. One solution is the use of staples, sutures, or other implantation, but this method results in the implantation being left behind, which is undesirable.
Thus, there is a need for a device and method that can cauterize a relatively large wound opening without requiring an implantation to be left behind at the wound site.